


In which friends care, but very little is resolved

by artsyspikedhair



Series: And Things Change For Better And For Worse [7]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - America, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Coming Out, Eating Disorders, Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Intervention, Long-Distance Friendship, Texting, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-28
Updated: 2016-01-28
Packaged: 2018-05-16 18:43:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5836588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artsyspikedhair/pseuds/artsyspikedhair
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Courfeyrac and Feuilly keep in touch via text, Combeferre comes out to Enjolras, Courfeyrac is in Junior's English because of some odd mix-up, and lunch time is a very stressful place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In which friends care, but very little is resolved

Feuilly got put into a foster home soon before high school. Combeferre and Courfeyrac didn't really know the details, other than that that meant he no longer went to their school or lived within an hour from anyone else's house. This meant the friends were reduced to using text to communicate, which meant they communicated a lot less frequently. 

School started two months ago, and aside from the typical texts from the beginning of the year saying who all the new friends were and which teachers sucked and which didn't, Feuilly hadn't heard from Courfeyrac since September. He heard from Combeferre frequently; the two helped each other in Latin and Feuilly shared his angsty poetry with Combeferre while Combeferre wrote self-deprecating comments about how he feared he might be developing a small crush on Courfeyrac. Feuilly was good at comforting Combeferre with his unrequited love, but was less good at asking about mental health stuff. He didn't have parents to check up on him, how was he supposed to know how to check up on other people without seeming too prying? So hearing from Courfeyrac was a relief, because Courfeyrac was always more Combeferre's friend than Feuilly's. 

:

Courfeyrac texted Feuilly saying "Hey. Sorry I haven't kept in touch. Can I call you?" 

Feuilly texted back, saying "I'm not very good with phone calls. " 

Courfeyrac decided talking wasn't mandatory, though their concerns would be better addressed in person, this would have to do. "OK, I'll just text u then. i think Ferre's been getting bad again. He begun wearing long sleeves again, but that's normal cuz it's cold. I think" Courfeyrac, after sending that, now addressed his real worry. "But he hasn't been eating lunch very often. Is this a real problem? Should I be concerned? U know the therapist stuff. Tell me wut to do." 

And that was true, that Feuilly had plans to become a therapist at some point, and so he texted back what he had thought of from reading books on depression. "Lack of hunger is a side effect of depression. Does he eat breakfast or dinner?" 

"He sez he does. But he looks smaller than before" 

Feuilly then felt reassured. This was just a symptom of a larger problem. Combeferre would be fine if he talked to someone or got treatment. But this was nothing to worry about. Eating disorders happened to people who cared about their weight. Combeferre had never had that preoccupation. So he texted back to Courfeyrac his relief, saying "He's fine." 

Courfeyrac didn't believe Feuilly, and wondered why they had even texted him in the first place. But then they remembered. "There's another thing. Ferre has the friend, Enjolras. he's trans 2, et I think Ferre should come out to him. Should I suggest it?" 

Feuilly felt out of his depth here, but gave his words of wisdom. "It would do 'ferre good to talk to someone who understands but bring it up gently. Don't make him do anything he doesn't want to. But also get ferre to a guidance counselor soon. he's obviously needs some help, with this whole depression thing." 

"K thanks." And, like that, Feuilly was shoved into the background of Courfeyrac's life, only to be remembered when someone needed something. Feuilly would have liked some lighthearted banter too, but he supposed that was what Combeferre and his real life friends were for, as well as his new email correspondence with Enjolras. 

  


Courfeyrac brought up the idea of coming out when the pair was in Health class first thing that morning, both twenty minutes before the bell because their buses come early. "Hey, Combeferre?"

Combeferre put down the dog-eared copy of _Refuse _ __, which he was reading for the twenty-fourth time. "Yeah?"__

"Are you ever gonna come out to Enjolras?" 

"Why would I? The entire point of transitioning is to get to be a real guy, so unless asks I won't bring it up." 

"Ferre, you are a real guy." 

"Yeah, right. You say that because you have to. I ran into a kid from elementary school the other day. " 

"Ferre, those assholes don't determine your gender. You are a real guy. Besides, who the hell in that elementary school has better judgement than moi?" 

Combeferre laughed. "Nobody, I guess you're right. But why do you want me to come out to Enjolras?" 

"I just thought you'd be happier, if you talked to someone who 'gets it'. My dysphoria is different than yours, but his might be more similar. You might be able to help each other. I dunno. I have stupid ideas sometimes." 

"It's fine; I never thought about it that way. I'll tell him soon." 

Suddenly, the bell rang, and the class that was bound to be full of cissexist comments began. 

  


Combeferre told Enjolras as the two walked to Honors Math that day. Enjolras smiled, eyes lighting up. 

"Thank you for trusting me. We could talk about our pasts sometime, if you'd like." 

Combeferre liked the look on Enjolras' face. 

  


Courfeyrac had ended up in Junior's math due to some odd mistake, but he stayed because he was smart, and it was a College Prep class anyway. Well, that, and because it gave them the chance to start at the back of Marius Pontmercy's head. Marius fascinated Courfeyrac, in many ways. Courfeyrac remembered on the first day, Marius introduced himself, stuttering and scared, while the other juniors just stared at Courfeyrac in unfriendly silence. Courfeyrac decided, then and there, that they were going to befriend this boy, and maybe do more than befriending if life gave them that much luck.

Unfortunately, Marius was too scared to talk to Courfeyrac after that first day. Marius was an anxious guy, and he felt like the other juniors might think he was betraying them by befriending the outsider that acted like they were smarter than them. He already had enough strange points, wearing the same clothes every day and living with his grandfather. Marius also had no friends other than Eponine, who barely qualified because he only talked to her by chance and not choice.

But that day, surprisingly, Marius had talked to Eponine in the hallway (he had a small liking towards children. they didn't scare him as much), and so that math class, after everyone prepared to go to lunch, Courfeyrac was blessed with hearing the words "I'll be at the Friends of the Abased meeting today. I hope we can become friends. 

Courfeyrac wore a grin that Combeferre could tell came from a crush at lunch. The sinking feeling of self-deprecation and loneliness that hit him most often when he was in the middle of the sad part of _Refuse _ __hit him again, but it was not from the book this time. Unrequited love was a bitch.__

Combeferre had a bag of carrots for lunch. He had been doing that for a while, after realizing eating nothing gave him headaches. He would have a full breakfast, than carrots for lunch and no dinner. Or he would skip breakfast, have a pop tart for lunch so the money his parents gave him for school lunches would get spent, and then have carrots for dinner. Combeferre loved carrots. 

Courfeyrac noticed, and so when they and Enjolras both a free J block that afternoon, Courfeyrac asked if they could have a Friends of the Abased meeting about eating disorders. He agreed, and Courfeyrac prayed this wouldn't backfire.

**Author's Note:**

> I am so sorry, my boyfriend broke up with me so I just wanted to write about my awful behaviors so that maybe then I won't be tempted to do those awful behaviors. If I screw up in any way, just be nice when informing me and I'll rewrite this. Also, _Refuse _ ____is by Elliott DeLine, and I highly recommend it, because, like Combeferre, I have read it twenty four times. That is no exaggeration. I can quote it if you like.


End file.
